


Riverdale deserved better

by yell0wr0ses



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, No beta we die like mne, Screenplay/Script Format, but ive never written a screenplay so it's wrong, character fixing, riverdale deserved better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-26
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-05-28 17:07:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15053870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yell0wr0ses/pseuds/yell0wr0ses
Summary: A rewrite of part of the first episode. Because really, everyone deserved coherent character arcs.





	Riverdale deserved better

RIVERDALE- AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

  
[EPISODE STARTS, the opening panning shot of a patrol car pulling up the steep hill drive to BLOSSOM MANSION in the rain. Past the hill, the rest of the town is visible below with lights just beginning to be lit as the people wake.]

  
JUGHEAD: At first glance you could be forgiven for thinking that Riverdale is just some sleepy apple pie and the American way kind of town. Those who look below the surface know otherwise. Riverdale is a town with its shadowy secrets and a dark history hidden behind its unassuming exterior. Much like the blossom twins, Cheryl and Jason.

[SCENE CHANGES EXT: SWEETWATER RIVERSIDE. The colours are washed out to indicate the flashback but CHERYL and JASON’s bright auburn hair is still extremely striking. Both wear white Victorian inspired clothing making the couple look eerily like dolls… or ghosts. CLOSEUP of JASON taking CHERYL’s gloved hand to help her into the rowing boat. The two smile sincerely at each other though CHERYL’s gaze seems to linger on her brother as he picks up the oars to row.]

  
JUGHEAD: On that fateful Fourth of July, the siblings rowed out onto Sweetwater river but only Cheryl was found, soaked to the skin and alone by the river's edge.

  
[SCENE CHANGES EXT: SWEETWATER RIVERSIDE- DUSK. CHERYL’s clothes are completely waterlogged by the rain as she sits knelt in the mud beside the overturned boat. She is shaking with sobs, her mascara running down her face like rivers, she barely feel’s SCOUT DOILY’s hand on her shoulder]

  
JUGHEAD: The police dredged the entire river in search of Jason’s body, finding nothing.

  
JUGHEAD: after the empty casket was interred under Jason’s name, Cheryl’s account made its way around the town. I recorded it in full, unedited and in her words

[SCENE CHANGES INT: POP’S, the silhouettes of JUGHEAD and CHERYL can be seen backlit by the intense neon lights of the diner, JUGHEAD’s arm is extended towards CHERYL clearly holding a Dictaphone.]  
[there’s the sound of an old tape rewinding and the tape crackles as the voiceover switches from JUGHEAD to CHERYL. CHERYL’s narration sounds blurred and artificial by the background noise of the tape where JUGHEAD’s is clear]

  
CHERYL: we were just out on the river you know? We used to go boating all the time from when we were little. The current there isn’t even that strong so when I lost a glove and-and Jason leaned over to pick it up… I didn’t expect the boat to tip and get washed away. I held on to the boat and when I looked back he wasn’t there! If doily hadn’t found me I-  
[there’s the sound of a click. A button being pressed on an old tape-deck. CHERYL is immediately cut off]

  
JUGHEAD: and for a while that was the end of the story, a tragic accident which cost the life of a promising young man. But nonetheless, the event was a huge talking point even as summer closed and the back to school bustle started in earnest. And with the changing of the seasons even bigger changes were set in motion…

  
[INT: BETTY’S BEDROOM The room is all pastel colours lit by an outrageous amount of fairy lights. Betty stands at a full-length mirror frowning at her reflection and sucking in her stomach. The top she’s wearing is quite low-cut but not inappropriately so. She is also wearing slight eyeliner and red lipstick.  
Kevin lies on his stomach on her bed flicking through a girly magazine]

  
BETTY:…I don’t know Kevin, isn’t this a little slutty for school?

  
KEVIN: Betty, come on, you’re too old to be pretending you don’t have boobs. If you’ve got ‘em flaunt ‘em.

  
BETTY: I don’t think it’s me.

  
KEVIN: didn’t you say you wanted this year to be different? Be proactive Betty! We all know Archie is a total wuss, he’d never make the first move in a million years, buuut if you give him a little encouragement…well that’s another story!

  
BETTY: Kevin! Archie isn’t like that, he’s a nice guy-

  
KEVIN: I’m not denying that, he’s just too nice…makes you think right? What kind of deep dark fantasies could a guy like Archie Andrews be hiding hmmm? Hmmmmmm?

BETTY: kevinnn! [she swats at him with a pillow and laughs]

[sounds of footsteps and BETTY’S MOM calling up the stairs]

BETTY’S MOM: I thought I told you not to close the door when there’s a boy in your room young lady

BETTY: it’s just Kevin mom!

[BETTY’S MOM opens the door]

BETTY’S MOM: I don’t care if it’s just Kevin, rules are rules Betty- what are you wearing?!

[BETTY’S MOM strides across the room and her daughter shrinks]

BETTY: I was just trying it on, I swear-!

[BETTY’S MOM picks up a sweater from the floor that Betty had previously been wearing and throws it at her, Betty catches it and clutches it to her chest still wide eyed with fear. BETTY’S MOM points to the bathroom as she yells]

BETTY’S MOM: get dressed Betty, and take that ridiculous makeup off

[kevin, who has been motionlessly watching looks saddened and awkward]

KEVIN: I should go… [he slides off the bed as discreetly as he can]

BETTY’S MOM: Yes, that would be best, I’ll see you out.

[all three leave BETTYS ROOM, BETTY turns and heads for the bathroom, she’s sniffling and it’s clear she’s about to cry. BETTYS MOM walks behind KEVIN to the door, marching

him down the stairs as if she doesn’t trust him]

BETTY’S MOM: I appreciate that you want to be there for Betty, it’s been difficult for all of us since Polly got ill, but I think it would be best if you didn’t come over

KEVIN: Mrs Cooper I-?! Me and Betty have been friends since elementary school! You know me, you know my dad!

BETTY’S MOM: I’m sorry Kevin, I’m just worried about the influence you’re having on my daughter. [she holds up the girly magazine, it bears a picture of a shirtless man on the cover, she holds it out to him and he tentatively takes it looking flustered]

  
[KEVIN steps back and the door is slammed in his face, at the same time the door of the house next door closes. Our steps ARCHIE ANDREWS. ARCHIE is looking tired, he stretches making all his muscles stand out underneath his white t-shirt which is definitely too small. He spots KEVIN and waves him over]

ARCHIE: hey Kevin! What’s up?

KEVIN: hey Archie, you’ll never believe what Betty’s mom- wait a second… [he whistles looking Archie up and down a second time, Archie looks baffled] that’s what you’ve been doing, hiding away from us over the summer, you hit the gym big time

ARCHIE: no way, I’ve just been helping out my dad- on the construction sites you know?

KEVIN: we’ll sign me up too next time [he not so subtly looks at ARCHIE’s ass]

ARCHIE: I was just headed to pops’ you wanna join?

KEVIN: sure, let’s catch up

* * *

 

[INT: POPS. The diner is pretty quiet this late at night with a few truckers at the bar and one couple sharing a milkshake in a booth. JUGHEAD sits by himself with a basket of fries in front of him as he mumbles indistinctly into a Dictaphone. When KEVIN and ARCHIE arrive, there is already a well dressed young woman standing at the bar giving her order which she’s reading out from a sheet of notepad paper. The bell on the door rings and this young woman turns to look at them briefly, she is VERONICA LODGE.]

  
VERONICA: …and some pancakes please. [she slides the full amount in cash towards POP, then faces ARCHIE and KEVIN] hello handsome

[ARCHIE looks at KEVIN who shakes his head and indicates that VERONICA is in fact talking to ARCHIE not him]

VERONICA: do either of you go to Riverdale high?

ARCHIE: we do! We both do in fact

VERONICA: oh, thank god i thought I wouldn’t know anyone there on my first day, first day in town today, first day of sophomore year tomorrow! I’m Veronica Lodge

KEVIN: nice to meet you, I’m kevin and this is Archie. We’ve lived here pretty much all our lives so if you need help finding someplace or-

ARCHIE: anything at all really

KEVIN: - just ask.

[VERONICA laughs like a socialite, a dainty hand to the mouth and all]

VERONICA: so, what do bored millennials with nothing better to do, do for fun in Riverdale?

[ARCHIE shrugs sheepishly gesturing around the diner]

ARCHIE: this is pretty much it. The biggest social hub in Riverdale

[VERONICA's expression twists into distaste/disappointment for a millisecond before her pleasant mask slides back on]

KEVIN: there’s the drive in too, but yeah, everyone goes to pop’s

VERONICA: I’m more of a breakfast at Tiffany’s kind of girl myself so I have no idea what a chock-lit shoppe is

ARCHIE: I think it used to be a chocolate shop? Like in the old days, but now it’s a diner…that still sells chocolate?

KEVIN: it’s because it’s LIT Archie

[ARCHIE and VERONICA snort]

ARCHIE: that joke stopped being funny the 6th time

VERONICA: did you just dab? I think I threw up in my mouth a little

[POP hands VERONICA her order all packaged up to take away. She thanks him]

VERONICA: well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow Archie Andrews

ARCHIE: y-yeah totally, see you…

[VERONICA does a little finger wave over her shoulder showing off her pristine manicure, ARCHIE waves back]

ARCHIE: I didn’t mention my last name, right?

* * *

  
[INT: RIVERDALE HIGH- CORRIDOR. The corridors are brightly lit, students are running up to each other and hugging, clapping each other on the back etc in greeting. The atmosphere is positive on the first day back, everyone is looking their best. Betty is not wearing the low-cut top she tried last night, but instead an outfit that covers as much skin as possible. She looks like she stepped out of a 50s ad for bible camp in stark contrast to Veronica who is wearing a low cut black top and tight jeans with bright red lipstick. Together they look like a before and after shot of sandy from grease. BETTY almost drops the clipboard she’s been clutching to her chest when JUGHEAD cuts across the hallway to his locker on the other side, in the background he is surreptitiously watching VERONICA throughout the following scene]

  
BETTY: aaand here’s your locker! It’s right next to mine so if you need help finding your next class just ask me.

  
VERONICA: thanks Betty, I think I can take it from here

  
[VERONICA is taking all the attention of the other kids in her stride, BETTY seems intimidated and confused by her cool attitude but keeps up her peppy enthusiasm]

  
BETTY: oh…well you have my number just in case.

  
[KEVIN closes the locker on the other side of BETTYs with a sigh]

  
VERONICA: what’s wrong Kevin?

  
KEVIN: Huh? I-it’s nothing…really…

  
[KEVIN gives BETTY a significant look, indicating he wants to talk to her in private, BETTY shakes her head not wanting to be rude in front of VERONICA who seems amused by the whole thing]

KEVIN: Betty, I know you’re probably gonna avoid me after last night, but I need to tell you about-

ARCHIE (off screen): Yeah! I’ll be there!

MOOSE (also off screen): Don’t worry you’re basically part of the team already, catch ya later.

KEVIN: -that.

ARCHIE: Hey Veronica!

[ARCHIE runs up to the gang with a big dorky grin on his face, he’s wearing his letterman jacket which does nothing to hide his drastically more muscular physique. Both of the girls perk up at the sight of him, Betty is absolutely stunned and VERONICA takes the opportunity to smile back at him coyly]

ARCHIE: W-what a coincidence right?! Our lockers are right next to each other!

VERONICA: must be fate, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other

JUGHEAD (V.O): If fate was really at work in Riverdale, it was not on Archie or Veronica Lodge’s side. All too soon their peaceful Sophomore year would end, before it had even begun.

* * *

 

[EXT: RIVERDALE HIGH- FOOTBALL FIELD. Potential players are warming up on the field, yelling and whistles blowing can be heard. Camera pans past ARCHIE psyching himself up and putting his helmet on, to BETTY, VERONICA and KEVIN emerging onto the bleachers.]

VERONICA: so…Why are we heading out to a muddy field filled with sweaty boys?

KEVIN: (he raises an eyebrow) Didn't you just answer your own question?

BETTY: Archie’s trying out for the football team again this year, I’m cheering him on from the bleachers…like every year (she shyly tucks her hair behind her ear)VERONICA: (she gives BETTY an encouraging smile) Like his own personal cheerleader huh? There’s no way he won’t get on the team with a cheer-squad like us.

BETTY: Us?

(VERONICA pretends she has pom-poms and strikes some cheerleader poses)

VERONICA: I was thinking about going for the actual cheer-squad, if you have one of those.

BETTY: Yes! We do! They’re called the River Vixens, they’ve actually won some regional cheer competitions, hoping to make nationals this year-

KEVIN: every girl wants to join, even little Betty here. Buuut Cheryl COUGH Bitch COUGH Blossom basically owns the River Vixens, she’s pretty hard to impress

(as if on cue, CHERYL struts onto the field flanked by two RIVER VIXENS, she greets the team captain and strolls to the bleachers.)

CHERYL: Hi there Andrews protection squad, here to tie Archie’s shoelaces for him?

VERONICA: was that an insult….?

BETTY: maybe we should get jackets…

CHERYL: I haven’t seen you around before, who are you?

VERONICA: Veronica Lodge, potential cheerleader

CHERYL looks VERONICA up and down.

CHERYL: Lodge as in Hiram Lodge?

VERONICA: (she holds her head up defiantly acting a little defensive) he’s my father

CHERYL: I suppose you can come to tryouts. Try not to bore me.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't published a fanwork in over 5 years so I hope you enjoyed.  
> I was so annoyed about how the show handles its characters and wastes a good premise (let alone the absolute travesty that is season 2) that I had to write something.


End file.
